NEWS: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Talks Software Update, Future Plans

At a townhall meeting in Amsterdam, Tesla CEO Elon Musk spoke about a new software update for the Tesla Model S electric vehicle that will be offered to owners this month. The Tesla Version 6.0 software is now in Beta testing, and will include numerous safety, functionality, and charging updates.

Musk and the Tesla team hinted at the details of this version 6.0 software, which will apparently include things like manual adjustment of the suspension height. The Tesla Model S currently has an automatically programmed lowered suspension height that activates at high speed, but the new system will allow Model S drivers to select different height modes with more flexibility. The software update will also re-enable three-phase charging for greater adaptability for European charging systems.

Musk emphasized that Tesla’s small size means that the company has to prioritize upgrades to the cars based on necessity, but that the company is open to ideas and suggestions from owners. “Because Tesla is a small company with a small amount of resources, we have to make sure that the basic functionality and reliability of the car takes precedence,” Musk said. This explains why the company’s current priorities are focused on building more supercharger stations throughout the world and improving the overall firmware functionality.

However, Musk then said there were many features and upgrades currently in consideration for future models, such as adaptive cruise control and a better smartphone integration system that could project information from a smartphone screen onto the Model S’ central display screen. Another possibility that the company is considering is a software update for the car that would allow for user-created third-party apps to be built onto the car’s existing software platform for increased functionality.

We’ve also heard that the Tesla Model S could soon gain all-wheel drive and Wi-Fi connectivity, but Musk did not comment on either update in Amsterdam. Stay tuned for more Tesla news over the next few months, as the company looks to make big waves with these significant upgrades as well as the debut of the production version of the Tesla Model X crossover.

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